Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions
Clean and safe energy use is vital for health, the quality of life and the socio-economic status of households. Charcoal is a primary source of fuel for urban and rural households in Ethiopia. Fast growing trees like Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd., is nature's gift to the smallholder far...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000184 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825206917560008704 |
|---|---|
| author | Minichil Mengistu Yashwant S. Rawat Anteneh T. Tekleyohannes Sisay F. Asfaw |
| author_facet | Minichil Mengistu Yashwant S. Rawat Anteneh T. Tekleyohannes Sisay F. Asfaw |
| author_sort | Minichil Mengistu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Clean and safe energy use is vital for health, the quality of life and the socio-economic status of households. Charcoal is a primary source of fuel for urban and rural households in Ethiopia. Fast growing trees like Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd., is nature's gift to the smallholder farmers for soil amelioration, the production of charcoal, fencing and wood for construction. The present study analyzed the physico-chemical and calorific value of Acacia decurrens charcoal of three age groups: 3, 5 and 7 years and three longitudinal stem portions: bottom, middle and top. The results showed a significant age-based variation in moisture content with magnitude ranging from 6.10% to 10.48%, in volatile matter from 20.05% to 26.33%, in ash content from 2.97% to 7.30%, in fixed carbon from 56.29% to 70.51%, in total carbon 82.61% to 90.56% and in basic wood density from 0.71 g‧cm-3 to 0.91 g‧cm-3. The mean calorific value of the charcoal of the three ages ranged from 24.89 MJ‧Kg-1 to 29.29 MJ‧Kg-1. The physico-chemical properties and calorific values of the charcoal were significantly different in age groups and longitudinal stem portions of Aacacia decurrens. Findings of this study are in line with the fact that with increasing basic wood density quality of charcoal increases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fbb3d25c95774b43a0b162d3dc40d3c3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj-art-fbb3d25c95774b43a0b162d3dc40d3c32025-02-07T04:48:25ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932025-03-0119100790Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portionsMinichil Mengistu0Yashwant S. Rawat1Anteneh T. Tekleyohannes2Sisay F. Asfaw3Department of Wood Technology Management, Faculty of Civil Technology, Federal Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI), P.O. Box 190310, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Wood Technology Management, Faculty of Civil Technology, Federal Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI), P.O. Box 190310, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.Department of Wood Technology Management, Faculty of Civil Technology, Federal Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI), P.O. Box 190310, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Consultant, Sustainable & Competitive Forest Products and Technology, Postal Address: 25719/ 1000, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaEthiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaClean and safe energy use is vital for health, the quality of life and the socio-economic status of households. Charcoal is a primary source of fuel for urban and rural households in Ethiopia. Fast growing trees like Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd., is nature's gift to the smallholder farmers for soil amelioration, the production of charcoal, fencing and wood for construction. The present study analyzed the physico-chemical and calorific value of Acacia decurrens charcoal of three age groups: 3, 5 and 7 years and three longitudinal stem portions: bottom, middle and top. The results showed a significant age-based variation in moisture content with magnitude ranging from 6.10% to 10.48%, in volatile matter from 20.05% to 26.33%, in ash content from 2.97% to 7.30%, in fixed carbon from 56.29% to 70.51%, in total carbon 82.61% to 90.56% and in basic wood density from 0.71 g‧cm-3 to 0.91 g‧cm-3. The mean calorific value of the charcoal of the three ages ranged from 24.89 MJ‧Kg-1 to 29.29 MJ‧Kg-1. The physico-chemical properties and calorific values of the charcoal were significantly different in age groups and longitudinal stem portions of Aacacia decurrens. Findings of this study are in line with the fact that with increasing basic wood density quality of charcoal increases.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000184Acacia decurrensBasic densityCalorific valueCharcoalFixed carbonVolatile matter |
| spellingShingle | Minichil Mengistu Yashwant S. Rawat Anteneh T. Tekleyohannes Sisay F. Asfaw Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions Trees, Forests and People Acacia decurrens Basic density Calorific value Charcoal Fixed carbon Volatile matter |
| title | Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| title_full | Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| title_fullStr | Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| title_short | Variation in the quality of charcoal from Acacia decurrens (J.C. Wendl.) Willd. with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| title_sort | variation in the quality of charcoal from acacia decurrens j c wendl willd with age and longitudinal stem portions |
| topic | Acacia decurrens Basic density Calorific value Charcoal Fixed carbon Volatile matter |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000184 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT minichilmengistu variationinthequalityofcharcoalfromacaciadecurrensjcwendlwilldwithageandlongitudinalstemportions AT yashwantsrawat variationinthequalityofcharcoalfromacaciadecurrensjcwendlwilldwithageandlongitudinalstemportions AT antenehttekleyohannes variationinthequalityofcharcoalfromacaciadecurrensjcwendlwilldwithageandlongitudinalstemportions AT sisayfasfaw variationinthequalityofcharcoalfromacaciadecurrensjcwendlwilldwithageandlongitudinalstemportions |